Where Do Badlands Occur?

How Do Badlands Work?

Some of the most beautiful erosion-shaped terrains on earth can be found in the Badlands. Clay soils erode to a significant extent in dry areas, forming their iconic shapes and topographies. Some believe that the French coined the term badlands (French: terres mauvais à traverser) when they were among the first Europeans to explore the South Dakota area. South Dakota Badlands is the best-known example of badlands topography. Located in southwestern South Dakota, the White River Badlands are among the most famous in the world. A 100 mile stretch of the Badlands is between three and five miles wide. A number of badlands formations can be seen on the Missouri Plateau west of the Missouri River. There are also badlands at the source of the Moreau River called the "Jump Off" badlands. There are also badlands in the Grand River valley.

Formation

Badlands were created 65 million years ago when the upwelling of land forced the seawater to recede, resulting in dry seafloors. The dry seabeds trapped a variety of fossilized marine animals underneath their substrates. Eventually, the climate became warmer and more humid, allowing low vegetation to grow on higher ground. Trees and plants colonized the higher ground, forming jungles. These areas were then covered with flood waters carrying volcanic ash, sand, and mud. Over time, successive layers of sediment covered the lower layers until they became compacted and turned into soft rock, creating vast areas. As rain, floods, and wind eroded the hills and rocks, they created ravines, buttes, mesas, canyons, gullies, and hoodoos. From black to red and brightly colored clay, the exposed layers created an alternate display of colors.

Ecological Importance

During the Eocene and Oligocene epochs 57 to 26 million years ago, animals were also living in the badlands. Many of the fossilized remains of these animals are found in South Dakota's badlands, which are composed of soft-rock layers that trap the remains of these animals. Prairie dogs, bighorn sheep, deer, and cliff swallows inhabit the area today. Reintroducing Black-footed ferrets to the White River region is among the conservation programs being considered. The government allowed museums and universities to remove tons of fossils during the past century. As much of this region is now part of the Badlands National Park, it is strictly forbidden to take anything out of the park, although geologists are still permitted to study the topography as a geological resource.

Geographic Distribution

Badlands can be found throughout the world today. To name a few, New Zealand has the Putangirua Pinnacles on its North Island, Italy has the Calanchi in Basilicata, Spain has the Bardenas Reales in Navarre and the Tabernas Desert in Almeria, Argentina has the Valle de la Luna in its midwestern regions, and Taiwan has the Gutingkeng Formation to the south. The Badlands vary in topography and rock formations, but the most famous Badlands are located in the United States and Canada. Big Muddy Badlands is in Saskatchewan, Canada, as well as Dinosaur National Park, which was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The United States has the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument with the Chinle Badlands in Utah, the Makoshika State Park in Montana, the Toadstool Geologic Park in Nebraska, and the El Malpais National Monument in New Mexico.

Badlands: What Are They?

There is a strange name given to the landforms in western North Dakota: badlands. Similarly shaped areas are also referred to as badlands. Why is that? From where does the term originate? Are the lands really so bad?

The first humans to see this area were the Native Americans. Traditionally, these lands were known as Mako Sica (mah-koh see-kah) by modern tribes such as the Lakota. "Badlands" was a name that some of the first European explorers came up with. Traders in France called it a "bad place to travel."

Imagine traveling east to west across the Great Plains of North America. There are miles of flat, grassy terrain. The terrain is easy to traverse. You then encounter canyons of loose rock and mud. The ground is no longer flat, and there is no grass. This area is characterized by strange landforms and hills. There are miles of them. There is not much water and food to be found. The journey has become very difficult. There is no hope!

Though the Badlands are harsh to live in, they are a beautiful place to visit. Badlands seem to belong to another planet, according to Theodore Roosevelt. They are also called badlands in other parts of North America. Montana, Nebraska and Alberta (Canada) are just a few places that have badlands. They are filled with color and strange shapes, making the Badlands a great place to learn

about the badlands' geology

geology

geology. With the Badlands, we can see ancient layers of the earth without having to dig or build models. In Theodore Roosevelt National Park, you can see rocks that were created millions of years ago! Weathering and erosion have made these rocks visible.

You should know these two words if you study geology. Weathering is the process of breaking apart rocks, while erosion is when the stuff starts moving! Obviously, each idea is different, but that is the basic definition.

The area we now call North Dakota was a warm, swampy ecosystem 65 million years ago (give or take a few million). It was home to several species of reptiles and fish. As the Rocky Mountains formed, it was home to several species of reptiles and fish. Volcanoes erupting deposited ash in swamps. Erosion from the mountains filled up the wetlands as well. This means some of the layers you see in the Badlands are actually old mountains!

Ashes, sand, and mud are referred to as sediments. After being buried for a very long time, they form rocks when they squish together. This is called sedimentation. Sedimentary rocks include sandstone, limestone, and shale.

Creating the Badlands

started as a swampy, flat area. Rocks were created by burying sediments. Approximately one million years ago, these sediments were buried. North America was undergoing a long ice age. As the ice moved south from Canada, it began to alter river flow. The rocks and sediments of the Little Missouri River were exposed to erosion after millions of years.

There is a river called Little Missouri that flows through western North Dakota. The water will take the shortest route. In the soft rock, the river has carved a channel. Some layers were much harder and protected the softer ones. Hoodoos can be formed by erosion of this type! Hoodoos are pillars topped with fossils or rocks. The caprock is the top part. The pillars range in height from inches to feet and even higher.